ABSTRACT
Controlling the risks of working with chemical substances is widely recognized as one of the major elements of preventive occupational health and safety. Not surprisingly, therefore, control strategies for chemicals used at the workplace feature prominently in both regulatory and voluntary approaches to improvement in the working environment. Partly because of the scientific, medical, and technical elements involved, a considerable body of knowledge has developed, to which disciplines like occupational medicine, hygiene, toxicology, and epidemiology contribute. There is consequently a wide range of understandings concerning chemical hazards and the risks they pose, as well as a variety of control methods and systems intended to minimize risks of harm to workers.
